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Arkansas Must See Attractions

For people unfamiliar with The Natural State, a frequent question is “What are the must-see attractions?” Even those who have general knowledge of the state ask “What should I not miss while in Arkansas?” Ask no more. We’ve made it easy for you.

Ozarks

Arkansas Air and Military Museum: Airplane enthusiasts will enjoy the vintage aircraft, including pre-World War II racing planes in flying condition, aeronautical memorabilia, and a gift shop housed in a historic hangar at Fayetteville’s Drake Field.

The annual Bella Vista Arts & Crafts Festival takes place the third weekend in October. This Northwest Arkansas show has high quality arts and crafts, always hand-made. Since beginning in 1969, the festival has steadily grown in size and reputation. All proceeds benefit the Village Art Club scholarship program, children's art programs, continuing education for artists/artisans, and festival partners. Admission is free.

Blanchard Springs Caverns: Ranked among the most beautiful underground discoveries of the 20th century, this is the only developed cave system operated by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. Lighted walkways lead to stunning formations and massive rooms, one as large as six football fields. Wild Cave Tours are for the more adventuresome. Nearby, Blanchard Springs Recreational Use Area provides scenic campgrounds, picnic areas, hiking trails, natural spring and trout lake.

Buffalo National River: The country's first national river (1972), the scenic Buffalo flows roughly 150 miles and offers premier whitewater floating in the Arkansas Ozarks. Flanked by soaring limestone bluffs, beautiful vistas and wilderness area, the river offers fishing, rock climbing and wildlife watching, including the state’s elk herd. Numerous outfitters for canoeing, rafting, horseback riding and fishing service the river.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art: The brainchild of Walmart heiress Alice Walton, this is a premier art institution with a permanent collection of American art masterworks from colonial era to modern day and touring collections from national art institutions. A rare Frank Lloyd Wright structure, the Bachman Wilson House, has been disassembled at its New Jersey location to be reconstructed on museum grounds.

Daisy Airgun Museum: Located in historic downtown Rogers in what is probably best known to locals as the old Rexall drug store building, circa 1890s. Exhibits depict the company’s history, airguns, advertising and other memorabilia.

Greers Ferry Lake: Nestled between Clinton and Heber Springs, Greers Ferry is the third largest lake in Arkansas’s Ozark Mountains at 31,500 surface acres. Campgrounds, lodging, resorts and championship golf courses are trademarks. The Little Red River emerges icy-cold from Greers Ferry Dam, providing excellent trout fishing. The former world-record brown trout (40 pounds, four ounces) was landed on the Little Red in 1992.

Mammoth Spring State Park: The spring flows at an average hourly rate of some nine million gallons of 58-degree water. It creates a 10-acre lake before becoming Spring River, a popular year-round canoe and fishing stream. The park includes a restored 1886 Frisco Depot with exhibits and a “crew” of workmen and passengers depicting the early 1900s, trails, picnic sites, playgrounds, and Arkansas Welcome Center.

Mark Martin Museum:Museum honoring the Batesville native, one of "The 50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time." Includes several of Martin’s past cars, racing mementos including around 100 trophies and several of Martin’s racing helmets and fire suits.

Ozark Folk Center State Park: Mountain View is the home of the only park in America devoted to the preservation of Southern mountain folkways and music. It showcases furniture making, quilting, blacksmithing, tintype photography, woodcarving and other crafts. Concerts feature songs and instruments from America’s past. Also here are restaurant, lodge, conference and visitor centers, gift shop.

Pea Ridge National Military Park: The site of one of the largest Civil War battles west of the Mississippi River, Pea Ridge marks the successful culmination of the Union's effort to secure control of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and protect the arsenal at St. Louis. This made easier the supply of General Grant's Vicksburg campaign. It encompasses 4,300 acres and includes a self-guided tour with 10 stops featuring wayside exhibits, including Elkhorn Tavern, plus a visitor center, museum and bookstore.

Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park: The 1862 Battle of Prairie Grove was the last time two armies of almost equal strength faced each other for supremacy in northwest Arkansas. When the Confederate Army withdrew, it was clear Missouri and northwest Arkansas would remain in Federal hands. Today, the park’s historic homes are featured on a self-guided walking and driving tours. Visitor center has a gift shop, museum and bookstore. Pavilions, a picnic area and a playground are also at the park.

Shiloh Museum of Ozark History: Dedicated to the study, interpretation and preservation of the rich history of the Arkansas Ozark Mountains, the museum offers lectures, films, classes, tours and frequently changing exhibits of interest to adults and children. Beautiful park-like grounds showcase six historical buildings.

Thorncrown Chapel Designed by Arkansas native E. Fay Jones, a nationally honored and recognized architect, the chapel soars skyward from an Ozark woodland. Extensive use of glass and wood beams makes nature an integral part of the structure. The chapel was chosen in 2001 as one of the Top 10 Designs of the 20th Century by The American Institute of Architecture. It has also won the institute's Design of the Year for 1981 and Design of the Decade for the 1980s.

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge With more than 450 acres and 130+ exotic cats, this is one of the largest big cat sanctuaries in North America. Lions, cougars, tigers, leopards, bears and other wildlife are displayed in large natural habitats surrounding the main compound enclosures and gift shop. Each animal has a story plaque for self-guided tours. On-site is the Safari Lodge, RV Park & Campground.

The Walmart Museum: The origin and growth of the nation's largest corporation is encapsulated at this Bentonville museum housed in the building that gave birth to the retail giant. In 1962, Sam Walton opened his first discount store in Rogers at 8th and Walnut streets and had 25 employees. Today, Walmart is the world's largest retailer.

War Eagle Crafts Fair Each October War Eagle hosts one of the largest crafts fairs in the country. Arts and crafts exhibitors from Arkansas and surrounding states come to sell their wares. Customers come from all over the U.S. Blanche Elliott and a group of fellow weavers founded the original fair over 50 years ago as a means to preserve and display the skills and traditions of Ozark craftspeople. Over the years, the rural site (historic War Eagle Mills Farm) has attracted coverage from The New York Times and Southern Living

Ouachitas

Crater of Diamonds State Park: North America’s largest diamond (40.23 carats) and more than 70,000 others have been found in a field south of Murfreesboro since farmer John Huddleston discovered the first such gems there in 1906. Now preserved as Crater of Diamonds State Park, the world’s only site where, for a small fee, anyone can dig for diamonds and keep what they find. The visitor center has a display of diamonds in the rough and exhibits detailing the site’s history and geology. The park also has a campground, hiking trail, a picnic and play area, and Diamond Springs Water Park.

DeGray Lake Resort State Park: Arkansas's only resort state park is located on 13,800-acre DeGray Lake. Situated on an island and reached by a short causeway, the park lodge features a spa, pool, exercise room, convention center, and restaurant. Also at the park are a golf course with pro shop, riding stable, campgrounds and hiking trails. Visitors can rent watercraft at the park marina or launch their own craft. Water-skiing, sailing, jet-skiing and pleasure boating are other popular DeGray activities.

Garvan Woodland Gardens: Located on the shores of Lake Hamilton, this 210-acre botanical garden contains the Garden of the Pine Wind with stream courses, waterfalls, stone bridges, native and Asian plantings. Other features are Daffodil Hill, welcome center, gift shop, canopy bridge, bird sanctuary. The Evans Children's Garden provides special natural play area just for kids. The Anthony Chapel is a striking glass and wood structure popular for weddings.

Hot Springs National Park: America's first national preserve predates Yellowstone by some 40 years. A film and exhibits in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitors Center located on historic Bathhouse Row tell how thermal springs in a valley of the Ouachita Mountains prompted Congress to protect the area in 1832. Today it’s one of the top weekend getaway destinations in Arkansas. Learn how Hot Springs earned a reputation as “The American Spa.” Thermal baths and massages are available on the Row at the Buckstaff Bathhouse, the Ozark Bathhouse and Spa, and other locations. The park also offers scenic drives and campground.

Magic Springs/Crystal Falls: Among more than 80 attractions and amusement rides at this combination theme and water park are five exciting roller coasters, including the legendary Arkansas Twister, X-Coaster, Gauntlet and Plummet Summit. The landscaped water park features a 350,000-gallon wave pool, water slide complex, relaxing lazy river, children’s activity pool and family splash zone. A summer series of musical concerts featuring big-name entertainers. Don't miss the Surf Simulation Ride.

Queen Wilhelmina State Park: Situated atop Rich Mountain, Arkansas’s second highest peak, Queen Wilhelmina State Park is a must stop along the Talimena National Scenic Byway. The park has a lodge, restaurant, camping, picnic areas and hiking trails. The 192-mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail passes through the park.

Quartz Crystal Mines: Geologists say that Arkansas and Brazil have the best quality quartz in the world, and today rockhounds, families and tourists from all over the globe head for the Hot Springs and Mount Ida area to go prospecting in the abundant quartz crystal deposits of the Ouachitas. Mine your own crystals in a "dig-your-own" mine or find perfect quartz crystals in one of the many rock and gem shops in the area.

Talimena National Scenic Byway: Beginning at Mena, the scenic byway stretches for 54 miles along crests of the Ouachita Mountains before terminating at Talihina, Okla. The route offers some of the best sightseeing in Arkansas, with vistas from atop some of the highest peaks between the Rockies and Appalachians.

Central

Arkansas Arts Center: Located in Little Rock’s historic MacArthur Park, the AAC is a first-class facility with an internationally recognized collection of drawings with works dating from the Renaissance to the present. It is also the home of world class art exhibitions that are spread throughout seven galleries.

Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum: Home to the USS Razorback, a 311-foot submarine was present in Tokyo Bay at the signing of the Peace Treaty ending World War II. Also docking at the museum is the Mark Twain cruise and dinner riverboat.

Arkansas State Capitol: Constructed between 1899 and 1915, this neoclassical building has provided over a century of service since the legislature first met in the unfinished structure in 1911; features Arkansas limestone, plus six bronze doors crafted by Tiffany’s of New York and ornate chandeliers by the Mitchell-Vance company. Guided and audio tours available; permanent and seasonal exhibits.

Central Arkansas Nature Center: Located on 3.4 acres in Little Rock within Riverfront Park overlooking the Arkansas River in downtown Little Rock. Exhibits highlight the role of fish and wildlife management and many of the projects conducted throughout the history of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Clinton Presidential Center and Park: America's 12th Presidential Library is on the banks of the Arkansas River in the downtown Little Rock River Market District. It contains the largest collection of presidential papers and artifacts in U.S. history and includes an authentic replica of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room. Forty-two Restaurant, which gets its name from Clinton's place in line of U. S. presidents, features an eclectic menu.

Heifer Village: The village uses interactive exhibits and educational programming to introduce visitors to Heifer International’s work of providing livestock and training to families worldwide. It focuses on the sustainable, practical solutions to hunger and poverty. Half-hour tours showcase Heifer’s dedication to sustainability, its mission to end world hunger and commitment to responsible use of resources.

Historic Arkansas Museum: Visit the state's oldest neighborhood where medicine came from the herb garden and the newspaper was printed on a hand-operated press. Four original Little Rock dwellings provide the setting as guides describe life on the Arkansas frontier and costumed living history actors portray early Arkansans. Full-scale galleries and interactive exhibits celebrate Arkansas's cultural and material heritage.

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site: Experience the history of this major U.S. Civil Rights landmark at the museum/visitor center across the street from Central High. The first African-American students -- "the Little Rock Nine" -- were admitted to the school in 1957 following a dramatic confrontation between Gov. Orval Faubus, who used the state's National Guard to block desegregation, and President Eisenhower, who sent federal troops to enforce it.

Little Rock Zoo: Nationally accredited 40-acre zoological garden, housing over 700 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians representing 170 species, some of which are on the endangered list. Historic Works Progress Administration-constructed buildings are found throughout the tree-shaded grounds, including the original big cat house, now Cafe Africa. Don't miss the Over the Jumps Carousel, the only left in the world, plus the petting zoo, gift shop, miniature train rides.

Old State House Museum: Set in the oldest surviving state capitol west of the Mississippi River, the museum is a National Historic Landmark. It was the backdrop for President Clinton’s 1992 and 1996 election night celebrations. This Greek Revival structure houses Arkansas history, with emphasis on women’s and political history, and programming for school children. It also boasts nationally recognized collections of Civil War battle flags, Arkansas art pottery, Bowie Knives, and African-American quilts.

River Market District/Riverfront Park: The place to be in downtown Little Rock for entertainment with restaurants, shops, art galleries, museums, library, bars and seasonal farmers market. The Ottenheimer Market Hall has more than 17 permanent merchants. The region is bordered by Riverfront Park and the Arkansas River to the north.

Scott/Keo The flavor of the Old South surrounds these two tiny communities located approximately 20 minutes southeast of Little Rock. Renowned restaurants, antique shops, an Arkansas fresh produce store, and museums are packed into the area.

The Old Mill:An authentic reproduction of an old water-powered grist mill, this striking North Little Rock structure appears in the opening scene of the classic 1933 film Gone with the Wind and is believed to be the only building remaining from the film.

Arkansas River Valley

Arkansas and Missouri Railroad:Travel over the Boston Mountains aboard beautifully restored turn-of-the-century cars, passing over three high trestles and through the 1882 Winslow tunnel. Three regular excursions are offered: Springdale to Van Buren, Van Buren to Winslow and Fort Smith to Winslow.

Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway: Scenic 7 runs from the Louisiana border to Bull Shoals Lake near the Missouri state line, passing through both Ouachita and Ozark Mountains. Resorts, attractions and scenic overlooks are found along the way. Car and Driver magazine named a portion of Scenic 7 Byway as one of the top 10 driving experiences in the U.S. and it’s a popular route for motorcycling adventures.

Bass Reeves Statue: A 25-foot work of art honors the illustrious lawman, believed to be the first black U.S. deputy marshal west of the Mississippi. Reeves, born into slavery, served for 32 years under Federal Judge Isaac C. Parker. This larger-than-life monument is fitting for a man whose legendary exploits made him one of the most feared lawman in the Indian Territory.

Drennen-Scott House: Overlooking the Arkansas River in Van Buren, the original home of the Revolutionary War descendant John Drennen and his family, is now a museum and “working laboratory” for university students as they re-create the century- and- a- half- old home. The historic structure is linked to the Trail of Tears, the Underground Railroad, and the Civil War.

Fort Smith National Historic Site: The site embraces the remains of two frontier forts and the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The historic courthouse, Hell on the Border jail, “Hangin’ Judge” Isaac C. Parker’s courtroom and gallows where justice came at the end of a rope, comprise the site. Exhibits and videos also focus on U.S. Deputy Marshals, outlaws, Federal Indian policy, and the Trail of Tears.

Heifer Ranch: At the ranch, visitors can participate in educational programming that promotes sustainable solutions to global hunger, poverty and environmental degradation. Families and individuals can drop-in see many of the animals that Heifer International uses around the world, as well as housing similar to the kind found in developing countries.

Lake Dardanelle State Park:Visitor center features exhibits on the lake, the Arkansas River and its tributaries; four large aquariums and touch-screen kiosks with information on the park, area water resources and history. Facilities also include a fishing weigh-in pavilion, designed to accommodate major fishing tournaments, and campsites.

Lake Fort Smith State Park: Campsites, a group lodging facility, picnic sites, pavilion, marina with boat rentals, swimming pool, and visitor center with gallery are found at this popular destination.

Mount Nebo State Park: Native stone and logs from Mount Nebo were used by the Civilian Conservation Corps to construct many of the bridges, trails, rustic-style cabins and pavilions in the 1930s. It offers campsites and 14 fully-equipped cabins. Historic Cornwell House contains exhibits about legacy of the mountain, including the teachers college, the grand resorts, the CCC, and the Cornwell Family.

Museum of Automobiles: Founded by the late Arkansas Governor Winthrop P. Rockefeller, the facility is the home to the only two Climber Touring Cars known to still exist, one of which is on display. More than 50 vehicles are featured dating from 1904 to 1967 with most vehicles before 1950.

Petit Jean State Park: Popular with families and outdoor enthusiasts, Petit Jean State Park offers a restaurant, swimming pools, playgrounds, tennis court, ball field, boating, fishing, campsites, cabins, lodge and gift shop. Hiking trails with scenic views lead to overlooks, streams, woods, ravines, and 95-foot Cedar Falls. Area history is evidenced by Native American pictographs and the grave of a French explorer’s great love for who the mountain is named.

Van Buren Downtown Historic District: Located along a beautifully restored Victorian Main Street, the district is composed of six blocks of art galleries, antique shops, restaurants and attractions. Shoppers can search for offer hard-to-find collectibles, one-of-a-kind gifts, original art, local Ozark crafts, home decoratives and extraordinary antiques.

Delta

Arkansas Post National Memorial: The memorial, a National Park Service unit, commemorates the first permanent European settlement (1686) in the Mississippi River’s lower valley. The Post also served as Arkansas’s first territorial capital and was the site of a major Civil War battle.

Crowley's Ridge Nature Center: Displays create a realistic rain storm and a movie about the massive 1811 New Madrid earthquake actually shakes the audience. It has a computerized fly-over of the entire 200-mile ridge country, topographical models and a satellite photo of the delta landscape. The center also features hands-on nature exhibits, walking trail, aquarium, and a duck hunting adventure.

Crowley's Ridge Parkway National Scenic Byway: National scenic byway follows the 198-mile length of the Delta's only highlands; comprised of federal, state and county roads. From Piggott to Helena, the route passes by or near five state parks, a national forest, Civil War sites, the former home of Ernest Hemingway, historic homes, museums, and rich agricultural areas.

Delta Cultural Center: Located in a restored depot and storefront in the historic Mississippi River port of Helena, the center’s exhibits sketch the history and culture of Arkansas’s portion of the Delta, the lower river’s fertile alluvial plain. Exhibit topics include the region’s role in blues and gospel music, its natural history and the Civil War battle at Helena.

Great River Road National Scenic Byway: The Great River Road shadows the Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Arkansas's portion of the route, a National Scenic Byway, travels the flat terrain of the nation's largest alluvial plain as well as the unusual elevated ground known as Crowley's Ridge. Along its way, travelers can explore the rich heritage of eastern Arkansas's Delta region, including remnants of its original hardwood-forest landscape, Native Americans, the Civil War and more.

Historic Dyess Colony: Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash: The restored home that Cash and his family moved into in 1935, and the Dyess Colony Administration Building, are now open to visitors. The home is furnished as it appeared when the Cash family lived there. The Administration Building includes exhibits about the colony and the impact of Dyess on Cash and his music.

Lake Chicot State Park: A former main channel of the Mississippi River, Lake Chicot is Arkansas’s largest natural lake and North America’s largest oxbow lake. The state park offers cabins, camping, hiking trails, a swimming pool, a marina and lake tours for observing wildlife and sunsets.

Lakeport Plantation:Last remaining antebellum plantation home on the Mississippi River in Arkansas, now restored as a museum focusing on the people and cultures of the Mississippi River Delta. Exhibits tell the stories of the house, restoration, and people who lived and worked there. Also displayed are artifacts found during restoration and original items donated back to the house.

Lepanto’s “A Painted House:” The original house used in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of John Grisham’s novel, The Painted House, has been re-assembled in Lepanto. The movie includes many scenes in the area, including the historic downtown.

Louisiana Purchase Historic State Park: A boardwalk leads through a rare headwater swamp to a monument marking the starting point established in 1815 for surveys of the Louisiana Purchase territory. Interpretive panels along the way reveal the history of the 1803 land deal, under which the land that would become Arkansas first became U.S. soil.

Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie: The museum tells the story of the people who pioneered Arkansas’s emergence as the nation’s leading rice state and of the German settlers who gave the town of Stuttgart its name. Exhibits include historic farm equipment, pioneer life and duck hunting. Authentic and re-created prairie structures.

Parkin Archeological State Park: Preserves and interprets the Parkin site on the St. Francis River where a 17-acre Mississippi Period Native America village was located from A.D. 1000 to 1550. A large platform mound on the river bank remains.

White River National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center: Exhibits cover an historic timeline of the area, fish and wildlife, bottomland hardwood forests, birds, migratory flyways and bears. Established in 1935 and covering some 160,000 acres along the lower White, the refuge is home to the nation’s largest contiguous block of bottomland hardwood forest under a single ownership.

Timberlands

Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources: Films and exhibits relate the history of Arkansas's oil and brine industries and the big 1920s oil boom that caused an explosion of population and wealth in South Arkansas virtually overnight. The museum’s Oilfield Park contains full-size derricks, other equipment.

Delta Rivers Nature Center: Designed to resemble an old-fashioned Delta hunting lodge, the center’s exhibits reveal the history and importance of Arkansas’s delta streams and wetlands. Live and preserved wildlife displays include a 20,000-gallon aquarium. The center also offers trails for wildlife observation and a gift shop.

El Dorado Downtown Historic District:Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this downtown contains a significant collection of 1920s and 1930s architecture (courthouse, churches and commercial buildings) made necessary and financed by the oil boom that began in 1921. A walking tour reveals the variety of boutiques, shops and dining options in the district.

Historic Washington State Park This 19th-century village, believed to be where James Black crafted the original Bowie Knife for James Bowie, contains the state’s largest collection of pre-Civil War homes open for tours, and Arkansas’s Confederate capitol from 1863-65. Weapons and print-shop museums, re-created blacksmith shop, restored courthouses, exhibits on 19th-century construction techniques, and the 1832 Williams Tavern Restaurant.

McCollum-Chidester House: In the spring of 1864, the Union Army briefly captured the town of Camden during a failed Civil War campaign. Gen. Frederick Steele occupied the house at 926 Washington Street, then the home of stagecoach operator John T. Chidester. Open to the public for tours, the house is mostly furnished with antiques original to the Chidester family, who moved into the home in 1857.

Poison Springs Battleground State Park: Ten miles west of Camden on Ark. 76, this site preserves and interprets a battlefield that was part of the Union Army’s Red River Campaign. The first battle of the campaign occurred Poison Springs on April 18 when Confederate troops captured a supply train and scattered Union forces. The other two stops are Marks’ Mill and Jenkins’ Ferry, also historic state parks.

President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site On August 19, 1946, Bill Clinton, the nation's 42nd President, was born in the southwestern Arkansas town of Hope. He lived his first four years with his maternal grandparents in a 1917 house at 117 S. Hervey Street, now a National Historic Site. With input from Clinton's late mother, it is decorated with period furnishings to appear as it did when Clinton, his mother and brother lived there. The nearby Hope Visitors Center and Museum contains exhibits on Clinton, the town's history, railroad memorabilia, and the area's legacy of producing giant watermelons.

Saracen Landing Park facility features a 10,080-square-foot pavilion and concrete fishing pier plus a fountain that sprays water 40 feet into the air; home of the Pine Bluff Farmers Market; located on the shores of 500-acre Lake Saracen in downtown Pine Bluff. Perfect for fishing tournaments, educational programs, car shows, picnics, concerts, reunions and weddings.